Brock is seeking compensation for his wrongful termination, citing that his bereavement leave benefits were not honored by Amazon. He has claimed that Amazon breached their contract and employment policies by not allowing him the time he needed to grieve and recover from the loss of his parents. Brock has stated that he was a loyal employee and was very committed to his job, working long hours for the online retail giant.
The lawsuit that Brock has filed against Amazon has brought attention to the company’s handling of employee bereavement leave. Many people have criticized Amazon for its poor track record in dealing with employee welfare and the stress that comes with working in a high-pressure warehouse environment. The case will likely bring a spotlight on Amazon’s policies and could influence the way that other companies deal with their employee bereavement policies in the future.
Scott Brock, who lost both his parents within a week, was shocked when Amazon fired him after he requested bereavement leave. The 53-year-old, who works as a warehouse worker for the online retail giant, stated that both his parents passed away from natural causes and were in their eighties. However, Amazon denied Brock’s request for bereavement leave and subsequently fired him, which came as a shock to him.
Amazon reviewed Brock’s request for bereavement leave and refused it, resulting in his dismissal from work.
“I was shocked, just shocked,” stated Brock. “They were more concerned about numbers than they are about people… it’s not right.”
Ronald L. Zambrano, a lawyer from West Coast Trial Lawyers, is representing Brock and has confirmed that Brock was mistreated. Zambrano said that what Amazon did was “just heartless.”
Daily Mail interviewed an Amazon spokesperson named Alisa Carroll who stated that the company did nothing wrong when they fired Brock from the fulfillment center.
“While we’re very sorry for the loss of Mr. Brock’s parents, that’s unrelated to why he’s no longer working at Amazon. Mr. Brock’s employment was terminated after an investigation found that he threatened a coworker and violated Amazon’s policies against workplace violence.” the statement read.
Zambrano, Brock’s lawyer, claims that the workplace issue occurred “well before” Brock filed for bereavement leave. He believes that Amazon is using the workplace incident as a “pretext” for firing the man who needed time to mourn the loss of his elderly parents and help settle their estate.
“Amazon, based on their own conduct, seems to care more about efficiency and the bottom line versus reacting to real life,” the attorney stated. “If somebody’s saying, ‘my parents are dying,’ let them take some time off, then let them come back to work. Don’t punish them for it.”
Scott Brock had a deep love for his parents. Harold and Mary Brock, who got married on March 18, 1958, after Harold returned from combat in the Korean War, held a special place in his heart.
“They were the greatest,” Brock said. “And this is just devastating. I mean, for both to die at the same time.”
